Defense: Coverage Solution

[charron]

I mean I can't explain it any clearer, maybe this will help. Secret, I coach Wrs and Dbs, we use cover 1 a lot

In the single-high (cover 1), the free safety plays zone coverage, guarding the deep half all to himself. He is responsible for any receiver that enters the zone. He must make a play on the ball as it enters the zone. The GIF below demonstrates his assignment.

I get it but I haven't heard a cowboy coach say he was wrong. you cited something but no link. IMHO heath wasn't the problem, the issue was Chido who basically did zero on the play. If they didn't like how heath lined up then they should have corrected it the 1st time, but they didn't. His angle looked worse because he was ready to help the other side. Why didn't they correct this before if it was a problem? oh cause it wasn't untill it was.

 

[beware_d-ware]

The FS in single-high essentially has one job: don't get beat over the top. Heath screwed that up.

 

[Dre11]

I get it but I haven't heard a cowboy coach say he was wrong. you cited something but no link. IMHO heath wasn't the problem, the issue was Chido who basically did zero on the play. If they didn't like how heath lined up then they should have corrected it the 1st time, but they didn't. His angle looked worse because he was ready to help the other side. Why didn't they correct this before if it was a problem? oh cause it wasn't untill it was.

HEATH WAS THE PROBLEM HE HAS DEEP HALF OF FIELD BY HIMSELF He didn't get there, yes Chido didn't help either but he has to help over the top. There's no other way to look at he didn't provide the help.

Go to 6:45 And Phillips says Something about Heath angle, and Broddaus say "they're talking about Heath's depth" which is what I was explaining last night.

https://www.dallascowboys.com/video/talkin-cowboys-who-will-lead-the-east

 

[CowboyRoy]

Basically all of the big plays that Awuzie has given up are with 1 receiver on his side and 2 receivers on the other side. In college they would call Awuzie the boundary CB in that situation.

The problem is that teams cheat the deep Safety over to the side of the field with 2 receivers (i.e. The side with the slot WR).

If the Cowboys had Jones and Awuzie flip sides based on Jones being the boundary CB, I think Awuzie would be fine when playing the "field" CB role (outside CB on the side with the Nickel CB).

It is already odd that Jones does not play the LCB position which is the side where right handed QBs are more comfortable throwing.


Side Note: What is the criteria that causes the Cowboys to flip Woods/Heath such that Woods is in the box and Heath is the deep Safety. They've done it in the past when they played 3 LBs against 3 WR set because Woods can move down and play like a CB against the slot WR; however, on the big 92 yard play they gave up to the Jets, they were in Nickel but still had Woods down and Heath deep.

You have to stop bro. Just face that facts that we have some major holes on defense. Some of the players just suck. You seem to find every and any excuse but to acknowledge that simple fact.

We are also finding out that its also a big scheme issue. Simple, same stuff over and over again. NO scheming, nothing exotic, no blitzing, very predictable.

 

[charron]

HEATH WAS THE PROBLEM HE HAS DEEP HALF OF FIELD BY HIMSELF He didn't get there, yes Chido didn't help either but he has to help over the top. There's no other way to look at he didn't provide the help.

Go to 6:45 And Phillips says Something about Heath angle, and Broddaus say "they're talking about Heath's depth" which is what I was explaining last night.

https://www.dallascowboys.com/video/talkin-cowboys-who-will-lead-the-east

I made it to 7:30 while they talked about injuries. Ill try to listen to more babble untill i can hear what you are referring to.

 

[Dre11]

My bad. 19:45 mark

 

[xwalker]

The FS in single-high essentially has one job: don't get beat over the top. Heath screwed that up.

Not when nobody covered the slot WR.

At least Awuzie was initially covering Anderson.

Nobody except Heath was covering the slot WR.

 

[nalam]

With all our problems with safety and corner , we have suddenly clueless Lbs ,Egales are big with Rbs running routes and catching the ball and making a lot of YAC. We need to watch out for that

 

[DuncanIso]

We need a fatbutt DT like Snacks to protect these linebackers. Then a REAL safety. Defense would be 80 percent fixed.

DTs won’t help our DL.

Marinelli loves the 1 gap scheme.

ive been calling for them to stack our DTs. Would help the run D.

 

[CB61]

Basically all of the big plays that Awuzie has given up are with 1 receiver on his side and 2 receivers on the other side. In college they would call Awuzie the boundary CB in that situation.

The problem is that teams cheat the deep Safety over to the side of the field with 2 receivers (i.e. The side with the slot WR).

If the Cowboys had Jones and Awuzie flip sides based on Jones being the boundary CB, I think Awuzie would be fine when playing the "field" CB role (outside CB on the side with the Nickel CB).

It is already odd that Jones does not play the LCB position which is the side where right handed QBs are more comfortable throwing.


Side Note: What is the criteria that causes the Cowboys to flip Woods/Heath such that Woods is in the box and Heath is the deep Safety. They've done it in the past when they played 3 LBs against 3 WR set because Woods can move down and play like a CB against the slot WR; however, on the big 92 yard play they gave up to the Jets, they were in Nickel but still had Woods down and Heath deep.

The Cowboys are averse to making changes because Jason Garrett still believes we are the better talent and we just match up on them 100% And what happens happens sometimes you win sometimes you lose lately it's been lose lose lose ? like I said before the culture has to change in Dallas and that's a very tough thing to do because you can change the head coach you can't change the owner

It's like throwing s*** against the wall and hope it sticks

 

[CB61]

Why not move Demarcus Lawrence around more try to confuse the o line some and maybe I'm missing something I haven't done a lot of rewinding and we watching but it looks like our stunts have gone AWOL ? Or they're poorly executed I'm about to watch the Green Bay game again flip through it quick I haven't been able to bring myself to watch it again yet the Jets game I just deleted those problems were pretty evident

 

[cowboyed]

Why not move Demarcus Lawrence around more try to confuse the o line some and maybe I'm missing something I haven't done a lot of rewinding and we watching but it looks like our stunts have gone AWOL ? Or they're poorly executed I'm about to watch the Green Bay game again flip through it quick I haven't been able to bring myself to watch it again yet the Jets game I just deleted those problems were pretty evident

If we outfit Lawrence in a tutu he may sack-dance the quarterback!

 

[Cowboy06]

The solution was Earl Thomas. He knows the coverages like the back of his hand and is a leader in the secondart

come on...another older player that is rented for a year or two at best. We need to do what Seattle did...draft a good safety and start there.Just my two cents and I'm willing to accept a quarter back of comment...lol

 

[Captain43Crash]

I agree with this Dre.

The cowboys safety play overall is not good enough. Especially for a team that runs as much cover 3 and cover 3 as the cowboys do.

I think it’s also a critical piece in the lack of turnovers. We don’t have that safety that knows how to bait the QB into throwing a ball and then close the gap and pick it off.

I thought Woods would be that safety. Bait the QB once in a while and pick the ball off. He hasn’t shown it yet.

Also, Heath gets a lot of hate for his play at Safety, but not Woods. Why? Woods almost never makes a play.

 

[Dre11]

come on...another older player that is rented for a year or two at best. We need to do what Seattle did...draft a good safety and start there.Just my two cents and I'm willing to accept a quarter back of comment...lol

No he's not just a rented player, he a player that could shore up the secondary knowing it after playing in the scheme for years and could help bridge the young guys on the secondary

 

[xwalker]

Why not move Demarcus Lawrence around more try to confuse the o line some and maybe I'm missing something I haven't done a lot of rewinding and we watching but it looks like our stunts have gone AWOL ? Or they're poorly executed I'm about to watch the Green Bay game again flip through it quick I haven't been able to bring myself to watch it again yet the Jets game I just deleted those problems were pretty evident

They are stunting less this season. I assume that was in response to the Rams game.

The issue is that run blocking has become a chess match-up of angles.

All teams now run some amount of Zone Blocking.

An example is on outside Zone Runs that cuts back inside.

• The Cowboys scheme has the DL flowing play-side.
• That takes the DL (primarily DTs) out of position on the cut back to the inside.
• The blockers don't have to move the Cowboys DTs, they just have to keep them from reversing directions.
• Blockers use the DLinemen's lateral momentum against them.
• Since it's easier to block the DL that are taking themselves out of the play, there are extra blockers to kick out and block the LBs.
• The initial outside run action also moves the LBs making it easier to box them out from getting back inside.
• Good teams use the threat of misdirection (Jet Sweeps, QB keep and roll out backside, etc.) to hold the backside defenders (Backside DE & LB).

The Cowboys have not solved this issue since the Rams playoff game.
- Other teams are just copying what the Rams did.

They are now "cheating" to stop the run with tactics like having the CBs in man coverage with NO help anywhere.
- They have the LBs and Safeties cheating up to stop the run and the CBs are mono-a-mono in the open field.

The defense is a Frankenstein of mismatched parts with Marinelli as the DC and DL coach but Richard as the Pass Defense Coordinator and Play Caller.
- By mismatched I'm referring to the scheme more than the actual players.

 

[JBond]

LVE to Mike. Jaylon and Lee on the edges. LVE has the size to hold up at MLB. Marinelli is always playing defensive guys out of position.

Richard's hands are all over this.

 

[stilltheguru]

The solution was Earl Thomas. He knows the coverages like the back of his hand and is a leader in the secondart

Ravens defense been leaking lately

 

[xwalker]

I thought Woods would be that safety. Bait the QB once in a while and pick the ball off. He hasn’t shown it yet.

Also, Heath gets a lot of hate for his play at Safety, but not Woods. Why? Woods almost never makes a play.

They flip the Safeties back and forth high/low.

The base defense is Woods as the FS (deep Safety in single-high) and Heath as the SS (box Safety).

Based on match-ups they often put Heath deep and Woods in the box area.

I'm not certain what the criteria is for when they flip them.

One scenario is when they play base (3 LBs) against 3 WRs instead of going to Nickel.
- They move Woods down because he has CB type coverage skills and can cover slot WRs.

On the big 92 yard TD pass by the Jets, they were in Nickel but still had Woods down in the box.
- It appeared that they wanted Woods to match-up on the RB if he ran a route.

I think offenses might be getting additional information about the coverage just based on if Woods or Heath is the deep Safety.

Woods looked terrific in training camp. He was basically the Star of training camp on defense.

Woods had an injury and missed 1 game this season which has likely limited him even after returning.

 

[CB61]

They are stunting less this season. I assume that was in response to the Rams game.

The issue is that run blocking has become a chess match-up of angles.

All teams now run some amount of Zone Blocking.

An example is on outside Zone Runs that cuts back inside.

• The Cowboys scheme has the DL flowing play-side.
• That takes the DL (primarily DTs) out of position on the cut back to the inside.
• The blockers don't have to move the Cowboys DTs, they just have to keep them from reversing directions.
• Blockers use the DLinemen's lateral momentum against them.
• Since it's easier to block the DL that are taking themselves out of the play, there are extra blockers to kick out and block the LBs.
• The initial outside run action also moves the LBs making it easier to box them out from getting back inside.
• Good teams use the threat of misdirection (Jet Sweeps, QB keep and roll out backside, etc.) to hold the backside defenders (Backside DE & LB).

The Cowboys have not solved this issue since the Rams playoff game.
- Other teams are just copying what the Rams did.

They are now "cheating" to stop the run with tactics like having the CBs in man coverage with NO help anywhere.
- They have the LBs and Safeties cheating up to stop the run and the CBs are mono-a-mono in the open field.

The defense is a Frankenstein of mismatched parts with Marinelli as the DC and DL coach but Richard as the Pass Defense Coordinator and Play Caller.
- By mismatched I'm referring to the scheme more than the actual players.

Yep I would agree but it seems like when that doesn't work for us we can't make adjustments of course one thing that I didn't see that you left out is that you have to go out and get some defensive tackles that you didn't find at Home Depot Lowe's Etc I'm not saying ours are bad but we need a stud back in there maybe it's time to trade for one? I personally think we should have pulled the trigger on Sheldon Richardson when we had the chance long-term solution no but we sure would make things better or would have back then